2023-09-04 07:50:59
The path is the goal, but sometimes there are obstacles in the way. For example here and now and with four legs. We are on the way from Kreuzboden to Weissmieshütte in the Swiss canton of Valais. The path is rocky and steep, passing large, black cows with pointed horns. The animals inspire respect for our daughter. “Mom, I’m wearing my red jacket, I hope the cows don’t get mad,” says the five-year-old, who recently read a story about wild bulls in a book.
In everyday life, she would probably have bucked at this point. But here she takes a deep breath and then walks resolutely past the cattle. “We really don’t have time for these stupid cows,” she says loudly. “We have to get to our cabin before it gets dark!” That’s probably what I would have thought at her age – I hear myself talking in my daughter and I have to laugh.
There are still a few hours before it gets dark. But Anouk captured the challenge of the tour well. We are three days in the Saas Valley in the Swiss Alps and want to stay in two huts. It’s our first “real” family mountain tour, parents with children, because up to now we’ve always walked back into the valley in the afternoon. This time we stay up, at eye level with the highest peaks in Switzerland.
Source: OpenStreetMap; Infographic WORLD
The entire hiking route from Saas-Grund to Saas-Almagell is around 17 kilometers long. But there is a family-friendly variant: You can take in the beautiful panorama in full, but you can overcome some sections with the gondola or chairlift.
also read
We have also divided the route into three parts: on the first day we climb two or three hours to the Weissmieshütte, on the second day we want to hike five hours along a high-altitude trail to the Almagelleralp. On the third day, the three-hour descent to Saas-Almagell is planned. The best time for this hike is between mid-June and early October – but even in late summer there is often a cold wind here, which is why we wear hats and warm jackets.
Mountaineers plan their tours in the hut
When we have almost reached the Weissmieshütte, hunger is around the corner. “When are we going to have a picnic?” Anouk asks impatiently. Luckily there is a picture-book terrace in front of the hut. With a view of the 3206 meter high Jegihorn, we strengthen ourselves with cheese sandwiches, Valais apricots, nuts and Swiss chocolate. “And what do we do now?” asks Anouk adventurously. Now let’s put our backpacks down. The Weissmieshütte has 90 places to stay, most of them in dormitories with bunk beds.
Stage destination number 1: The Weissmieshütte is 2726 meters above sea level
Source: Claas Nagel
This is where the tourers spend the night, who check in in the afternoon with heavy ropes and ice axes and go to the Fletschhorn or the Lagginhorn the next morning. But rooms with cozy bunks can also be booked. To get there, you have to climb a steep wooden staircase to the top.
There is no warm water anywhere in the hut, nor are there showers. But the large lounge is well heated, which is why the mountain people gather there in the early afternoon. They drink hot chocolate and cold beer and talk about wind and weather – which at almost 2800 meters is not small talk, but part of route planning.
also read
“The wind will be stronger tomorrow morning,” says hut host Roberto Arnold, 47, to a mountaineer. “I would start an hour later.” The climber nods – and moves his breakfast time from 3:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. If you want to conquer the mountains, you have to get out before the morning dew. Arnold has been running the hut with his wife Carla, 40, for more than 15 years. Your children go to school in Saas-Grund and usually come up at the weekend. “It’s a special life,” says Carla. “But I like it. You are far from the world.”
The tour to the Almagelleralp begins with a climb
We spend the rest of the afternoon in the warm hut, playing puzzles and listening to the stories of the mountaineers. Punctually at 6.30 p.m. there is food for everyone: chicken curry, not exactly Anouk’s favorite dish. But the height makes you hungry, she scoops rice, meat and sauce out of her bowl without a murmur.
When the sun sets behind the peaks a few hours later, we lie in our bunks in the family room. The child falls asleep immediately, I lie awake for a long time. You can hear every word through the thin walls, and the wind howls around the house outside. At some point I doze off too – but not for long: the first alarm clock rings at 4.15 a.m. in the next room, after which it buzzes every fifteen minutes.
The beds in the Weissmieshütte are comfortable, but the walls are not particularly soundproof
Source: Claas Nagel
Today’s destination is also a tough one: The “queen’s stage” of our tour to the Almagelleralp covers almost eight kilometers and 500 meters in altitude. In the beginning, the narrow path is a wild climb over rocks and stones. On the ridge below the Trift glacier, the gusts of wind are so strong that they almost pull the ground out from under my feet. It’s good that Anouk is sure-footed and has a head for heights.
Of course we “trained” for our hut tour, we went hiking in our low mountain range on the weekends. At first, our paths were almost flat and less than three kilometers long. But soon the distances became longer and the mountains steeper. My husband and I really enjoyed these tours. Anouk also quickly understood that when “hiking” you not only climb mountains, but also have your parents all to yourself. And that afterwards there are usually large portions of cheese spaetzle.
There is order on the shelf with the boots
Source: Claas Nagel
Now she prances over the rocks like a little mountain goat. Very rarely does she reach for my hand. And I take a deep breath: After the first 200 meters of altitude, the path becomes calmer. Sometimes it meanders across meadows, sometimes it winds its way along rock faces. And there is something to see everywhere.
When hiking, pausing is part of the program
Anyone who goes hiking with a five-year-old moves differently. Slower, logical. But also more devout. Birds, butterflies, cows and even flowers must be observed. Anouk’s curiosity leads us to stop and pause again and again. In everyday life we wouldn’t have time for something like that – when hiking, it’s part of the entertainment program.
But at some point even the best program gets boring. It’s a good thing that the destination of our stage can soon be seen: a gray stone house with red shutters below the Rotblattgletscher. Anouk’s eyes light up. The rest of the way she tells us about unicorns, forgetting that she’s been on the road for four hours.
Finally in sight: the Almagelleralp at 2194 meters
Source: Claas Nagel
When we arrive on the Almagelleralp, the rösti and apple spritzer taste like a star menu. The hut is 2194 meters high and can only be reached on foot. A helicopter comes once a week and brings fresh groceries. “And then it’s quiet again,” says Urs Anthamatten, 71, the innkeeper, and laughs. I run into him on the terrace, where he is just serving his guests freshly baked apple pie with cream.
Anthamatten is a retired teacher and has been managing the Almagelleralp since 2016. “I come from a family of huts,” he says. Even as a child he was regularly up here. At that time his uncle was still the hut warden. Anthamatten delivered provisions to him several times a week – on the back of two mules. Not much has changed since then, apart from the helicopter. “Life on the mountain is peaceful,” he says.
More tips for holidays in Switzerland:
We spend the rest of the day putting our feet up, watching the clouds form and picking blueberries. After dinner, Anthamatten offers a pear schnapps, but I politely decline – after all, another tough day of hiking lies ahead of us tomorrow. From the bed we look at the snowy peaks and shortly afterwards all three fall into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Anouk’s wanderlust is manageable. Only the sight of a family of chamois in front of our window gets them going. I’m looking forward to the way down to Saas-Almagell, because the map promises an “adventure trail” – and keeps our word: we have to balance over suspension bridges, climb ladders up and downhill and shimmy along narrow steps on the rock. My heart rate skyrockets several times. He doesn’t have much time to come down. “Come on, the next adventure is waiting over there,” urges Anouk as soon as she discovers another climbing passage.
Challenging spots are secured with steps and ropes
Source: Claas Nagel
When we reach the chairlift in Furggstalden after almost three hours, we are proud and satisfied: our first mountain tour is done – and it was: terrific. Later, when we are having dinner in our hotel, freshly showered, Anouk is already making new plans. “Next year we will all do a climbing course together,” she says. My husband and I wink at each other. That sounds like a good project. Maybe we’ll actually make it to the Jegihorn.
Tips and information for Switzerland:
Getting there: By train to Visp, then by post bus, which is called Postauto in Switzerland, to Saas-Fee (postauto.ch). The place itself is car-free, there are regular buses between the districts.
Accommodation: “Walliserhof”, five-star hotel with pool, wellness area and international cuisine, located in the center of Saas-Fee, double room with breakfast from the equivalent of 287 euros, walliserhof-saasfee.ch. “Hotel Les Amis” in Saas-Fee, popular with ski teams that come to the Allalin Glacier for summer training, breakfast buffet with local products, double room with breakfast from 150 euros, lesamis-saas-fee.ch. “Saas Fee Wellness Hostel 4000”, modern youth hostel with shared, double and family rooms, swimming pool and sauna, overnight stays from 65 euros per person, youthhostel.ch.
mountain huts: Weissmieshütte, classic mountain hut with dormitories and family rooms above Saas-Grund, also open in winter, overnight stays with half board from 88 euros per person, children up to six years 25 euros, weissmieshuette.ch. Almagelleralp, rustic mountain hotel with dormitories and two to four-bed rooms, open until October 15th, accommodation with half board from 78 euros per person, almagelleralp.com
Further information: myswitzerland.com; saas-fee.ch
Participation in the trip was supported by Switzerland Tourism. Our standards of transparency and journalistic independence can be found at axelspringer.com/de/werte/downloads.
This is where you will find third-party content
In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is required, since the providers of the embedded content as third-party providers require this consent [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (which can be revoked at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can withdraw your consent at any time via the switch and via privacy at the bottom of the page.
#Switzerland #Hiking #mountains #child #test #Valais